Luxperience announces entries are now open for the prestigious Luxperience Awards. These awards recognise the industry’s endeavours and the evolution of luxury travel while highlighting the shining stars and visionaries of the premium leisure travel and business events markets.

Awards are open to both leisure and business event specialists emphasizing the impact and influence of luxury travel across both segments.

Michelle Papas,Luxury Brand Strategist at Luxperience, says: “This year our Awards will align with our theme for 2017: ‘Through A New Lens’. An emphasis will be on exploring the creativity of marketing, innovation and meaningful activities that leave an inspiring influence on travel behaviours and events through impactful visual interpretations”.

Now in its third year, winners will be announced in front of over 400 guests at the glittering Luxperience Gala Dinner, taking place on Tuesday 19 September 2017 at Doltone House, Darling Island, Pyrmont. This magical waterfront venue offers harbour bridge and city skyline views providing a glittering backdrop for the annual Luxperience gala night.

“Some of the world’s most impressive suppliers and elite group of decision-makers in the global luxury and experiential travel and events arena will be in attendance,” Papas adds. “Our winners set industry standards, raising the bar for others to emulate.”

Judging of the submissions will be by an esteemed panel of travel and lifestyle industry experts including Belinda Melocco, Senior Manager Client Engagement for law firm King & Wood Mallesons and award-winning photographer, Mags King, Managing Photo Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review and the Sun Herald.

Belinda is an accomplished and well-respected event professional. She is the founder and chair of the esteemed in-house corporate events industry association, Sydney Event Network with over 100 members.

Mags’ photography career started at the Guardian in London after winning the prestigious UK Kentmere National Award over 20 years ago. Her meteoric rise in the photo-editing world has seen Mags managing major global photography companies such as Photobition and world-renowned publications such as Travel & Leisure. In 2005, Mags joined Fairfax culminating in her current role of the media company’s flagship papers.

“Belinda and Mags will bring to the judging panel a wealth of knowledge and experience and will highlight the opportunities the Luxperience Awards can offer especially to the MICE market,” says Papas. “They will also emphasise the importance imagery plays in enticing where and when travellers and companies will visit next.”

The full list of Award Categories:

Inspiring Award

Meaningful Award

Connections Award

Outstanding Destination Award

The Inspiring Award will recognise a buyer or supplier (leisure or premium business events) that best demonstrates excellence in the planning and development of innovative products, events and services, acknowledging entrepreneurial vision, market leadership and uniqueness.

The Meaningful Award will pay tribute to a buyer or supplier (leisure or premium business events) that contributes to a greater understanding of history, heritage and culture, incorporating elements such as sense of community, experiential travel or social responsibility within their program or product.

The Connections Award will recognise a successful marketing strategy and campaign, both from the buyer or supplier side, which effectively connect with key target markets within the luxury or high end experiential travel space or events and incentives area

In addition to these awards, Luxperience will recognise an Outstanding Destination, which has influenced the development of luxury and experiential tourism or business events within their country or region.

The invitation-only business forum, taking place in Sydney on 17-20 September 2017, is the only one of its kind based in the Australasia and Pacific region that connects the world’s most exclusive travel and business events providers dealing in luxury and experiential travel.